Five businesses, one from each region in the UK, have been announced the winners of the Best of Britain awards 2017.

The annual Awards, launched by business energy price comparison specialists Love Energy Savings, in partnership with EDF Energy, Opus Energy, British Gas, Scottish Power and npower showcases businesses from across the country who really stand out from the crowd.

They have been rewarded for going above and beyond for their customers, their outstanding services and overall business ethos. Each winner will receive a £300 cash prize and will be invited to a special prize-giving and exclusive round table discussion at Bolton-based Love Energy Savings’ headquarters.

Here are the winners and the reasons they deserve to be one of the Best of Britain:

Scotland: KAM Hair and Body Spa

One of the biggest employers in Lossiemouth, the salon employs 24 people and constantly gives back to their community:

• They compiled a ‘Christmas Pamper Hamper’ and raised funds through raffle tickets, which they donated to local charity The Ladybird Group who provide pre-school children with additional support in their development.
• Partnered with other local businesses and organised an Easter Egg Hunt in the town, donating proceeds to the RAF Benevolent Fund.
• One of their employees ran in a 10K race at Loch Ness to raise £250 for local midwives to go to Nepal.

North of England: Edstart Specialist Education LTD
Based in Salford, Edstart Specialist Education LTD really stands out from the crowd.

They provide a range of vocational courses designed for young people who find it difficult engaging in mainstream education. What they’re proud of is how adaptable and approachable they are, finding solutions to problems daily in difficult and often volatile circumstances.
They also run a charity, Edstart Foundation, where they raise funds for sporting activities for local children.

Midlands: The Amazing Chocolate Workshop
The Amazing Chocolate Workshop has every reason to feel proud and be recognised for their hard work.

The company was built from scratch using a small budget they had in savings, with no loans or external investment. Everything it entails they created themselves, from the branding to selling the chocolate to customers.

The business really is their passion and any profits are used to grow their number of stores in the UK.
Just like the other finalists, they give back to the community by offering hundreds of young people a chance to get into employment, with many of their sales staff aged 16-24 with little or no previous experience.

South of England: Koru Kids
Koru Kids pride themselves on creating better childcare options in London.

The business is completely unique, matching two local families with one nanny, meaning the children can be looked after at the same time. This allows parents to save one third on the cost of a nanny each. Not only is it great fun for the kids, but the business makes childcare affordable and as convenient as possible.

They’ve helped 2500 families so far and plan to help more with their service.

Wales: DevOpsGuys

DevOpsGuys is putting Wales on the map showcasing Cardiff as a hub for digital innovation and skills.
They truly believe people are their best asset and they value their knowledge, skill and ingenuity.

By building such a thriving and progressive company in the capital of Wales, DevOpsGuys has not only had an enormous impact on the Welsh economy, but they pride themselves in keeping highly skilled people in Wales.

Phil Foster, Managing Director of Love Energy Savings, commented on the announcement of the winners:

“It was an incredibly challenging task to select the Best of Britain winners – the standard of entrants was incredibly high.  The companies chosen really stood out from the crowd; whether that’s for giving back to the community, commitment to a job well done or for their innovation and drive – each one is a very deserving winner.

“We hope that receiving the awards not only gives the winning businesses the recognition they deserve for their effort but that they also inspire others to follow in their footsteps. Businesses no matter how big or small should be recognised for their hard work, dedication and professionalism and I’m pleased we could acknowledge such fantastic businesses throughout the UK with our Best of Britain Awards. I’m already looking forward to next year!”